UN Commission Declares Israel Has Committed Genocide in Gaza

A United Nations commission of inquiry says Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

A new report indicates reasonable grounds to conclude that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have occurred since the war with Hamas began in 2023. These acts include killing members of a group, causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group, and preventing births. The report cites statements by Israeli leaders and the conduct of Israeli forces as evidence of genocidal intent.

Israel’s foreign ministry categorically rejected the report, calling it distorted and false. A spokesperson claimed the commission's experts are acting as Hamas proxies and alleged the report relies on falsehoods.

The Israeli military initiated its campaign in Gaza following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and resulted in over 250 hostages. Since the onset of the conflict, at least 64,905 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, is chaired by Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief. The report states Israeli authorities and military forces are responsible for a range of actions that fulfill the legal definition of genocide.

It further contends that genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference from the pattern of Israeli conduct, which includes targeting civilian areas, severe mistreatment of detainees, and systematic attacks on vital infrastructure.

The commission warns that all countries have a duty under the Genocide Convention to prevent and punish genocide, warning they might face complicity if they do not act.